


Learning to Live Again

by missoxfordcomma



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Coming of Age, Romance, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:43:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3797140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missoxfordcomma/pseuds/missoxfordcomma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione travels the world while somebody waits for her to learn how to live after the end of the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning to Live Again

It was during the last breakfast on the last day of the last year that Hermione received the letter.

  
After years of hard work and the agonies of war Hermione had lost the innocence of youth and years of anxieties and struggles had left its mark on her. In the months following the so called final battle, named purely because no further battles had followed it, those involved had embraced the freedom of their new lives; smiling, laughing and revelling in the joy of peacetime. It was often commented that Hermione was not one of them. Indeed, it was observed by many that she had not truly smiled for months.

  
Hermione sat in the middle of group of her friends and weighed up the letter in her hand. Around her seventh-year students were discussion the plans they had for their futures. Harry had every intention of following his dream of becoming an Auror, aiming to start his training the very next day. Ron talked non-stop of the invitation he had received to attend a Quidditch training camp from which new and emerging players were often picked from. All know that Hermione was intending to leave the country in the hours following the final train trip into London; a decision made by her desires to leave behind the world rebuilding around them. Claims of job offers and decisions to undertake further studies sailed all over the place.

  
On the outside the letter didn’t appear to be anything special, a regular envelope with a small lump in one corner, so those about her glanced briefly in her direction and then turned back to their own conversations.

  
Nonplussed with her friend’s response, Hermione broke the seal on the letter and tipped the item and accompanying slip of paper into her hand. A sapphire ring shone brightly in the morning light and drew the surprised stares of the Gryffindors sitting around her.

  
While their attentions were focused on the ring, Hermione studied the slip of paper. In small, clear capitals was simply:

  
_I WILL WAIT FOR YOU._

  
Slipping the sapphire onto her left ring finger and ignoring the questions of her peers, Hermione rose from the table and made her way towards the doors of the Great Hall.

  
Smiling.

 

 

Summer – year 1

  
_You would enjoy it here I think. It’s so very Spanish, and so very beautiful. I’m sitting by the bay drinking strong coffee and revelling in the smells and sounds around me. There are old men sitting on stone jetties fishing, and when I say fishing I mean gossiping. I can see you walking down towards them and asking if the fish are biting in your broken Spanish while I sit here writing. I image that they would laugh but gently correct you and you would stay with them until dusk listening to them talk about the old times._  
_I am about to cross over into Morocco. I have heard (from the lady who owns the hostel that I have spent the last month in) that there is a café in Casablanca. The owner of the café is the brother of the owners of the hostel, and have called to convince Hammou to employ me. I hope to stay for a few months before I move on._  
_I know that you think that North Africa is dangerous and I promise to be careful._

  
In the city of Ceuta overlooking the Gibraltar Strait, Hermione finished her journal entry and stretched, basking in warmth of the late afternoon sun. In the months following her graduation from Hogwarts, she had made her way south, wandering slowly through France, Spain and Portugal.

Closing the now full journal, Hermione picked up her bag and made her way to the post office. Packing the journal into a large envelope and carefully addressing it, she passed the package and various letters to her friends over to the young girl behind the counter.

  
As she watched the girl process the mail, Hermione reflected that while she and the girl were probably of similar age, the life she had led made her feel much older. Looking over towards the display table next to the counter, Hermione spotted a brightly decorated writing and sketching book. Picking it up, she added it to her purchases.

  
Hermione walked back into the warm early evening air and felt the urge to laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> Year 1 includes the last few months of the school year up until the 31st of December. 
> 
> I haven't written any fiction since I finished school 5 years ago, so I'm feeling a little rusty and a little self-conscious.
> 
> Tell me if it's worth continuing. Please.


End file.
